Timelines confirmed for new finance system roll-out

The new finance system timelines and expected go‑live dates have been set. There is detailed information in the latest CiA (Connected Intelligence Anywhere) newsletter which was sent out to all Senior Leadership Team members on 23 February to share with their relevant staff and teams, with encouragement to discuss the content at the appropriate team meetings.

CiA will go-live on Wednesday 1 July. It is anticipated that Great Plains will be switched-off three to five days prior to this. Other systems will be phased out over time, as required.

Ellie Dunnet, Head of Finance and Project Executive, says: “The new CiA system is going to make a huge difference to how we work: stronger financial controls, clearer audit trails, faster processes, and better management information to inform planning and decision making. It’s a big step forward, and one that will help us work smarter and more confidently. ”

If you haven’t received a copy of the newsletter, please contact your manager in the first instance, alternatively you can request a copy by emailing the project team – financesysproject@eastlothian.gov.uk 

Information is also on the intranet for detailed project updates.

Update on place making project

You may be aware that the council is carrying out a place making project looking at our council buildings that deliver, or have the potential to deliver, general face-to-face services to the public. This includes exploring the possibility of bringing services together under one roof where the public can speak face-to-face with an advisor, access a library, computers and bookable rooms.

Opportunities for communities

New approaches to how buildings are operated could help ensure we have good quality, well used facilities within local communities offering modern and flexible facilities to meet the needs of residents and our employees.

There could also be opportunities for communities to take over the running of some buildings – such as by leasing them, community asset transfer or looking at opportunities with community planning partners and others. Similar arrangements have been put in place in other parts of the country.

In October, elected members agreed further local engagement would be carried out on a community-by-community basis, including proposals that:

• officers develop an outline business case to present options and costings for the creation of six core library and area hubs
• officers consider alternative service delivery models at some existing libraries, community centres and village halls – including Haddington and Dunbar town houses - in partnership with local communities
• work takes place to establish the feasibility of relocating North Berwick Youth Project to a former nursery adjacent to North Berwick Community Centre
• assess the feasibility of creating a publicly accessible list of all community facilities available in East Lothian, in conjunction with our community partners

You can read more about the project here.

No imminent changes

We know that there is a significant level of interest in this from colleagues across our organisation and that there are number of employees who work in some of the buildings that could be used differently in future. The work between now and the Council report being presented later in the year is to explore feasibility of these proposals.

It remains the case that no decisions on proposals for any of these buildings have been made at this time with no imminent changes planned.

Colleagues have a huge role to play in this process to ensure we have great, modern buildings from which to work and deliver services to our customers. Team managers from a range of services including Connected Communities, Libraries and Museums are involved in fortnightly meetings as part of this process and will keep their staff updated.

The place making project team is currently planning further engagement activities which will give communities and employees the opportunity to be fully involved in influencing the way forward.

In the meantime, if you have any queries or comments please get in touch by emailing the project team placemakingproject@eastlothian.gov.uk

Tom Reid, Head of Infrastructure

Eamon John, Head of Communities and Partnerships

Cabinet Secretary for Transport visits works at Wallyford roundabout

Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop visited works to improve the Wallyford Toll Roundabout as the project we are delivering, nears completion.

The improvements are designed to make the roundabout easier for pedestrians and cyclists to travel between Prestonpans, Wallyford, Musselburgh and Tranent.

The roundabout will be made more accessible for active travel while also enhancing traffic flows.

Ms Hyslop was joined during the visit on 20 February by representatives including East Lothian Provost John McMillan, Robert Ogg and Malcolm Barr from project contractor Akela Construction, and two colleagues from our Roads team, Alan Stubbs (Service Manager - Roads) and Ian King (Team Manager - Asset & Regulatory).

A number of pupils from nearby Wallyford Primary also attended along with Willie Gordon from the school’s Parents and Carers Council.

Construction work began on 24 November last year and is expected to be completed by the end of March.

Transport Scotland are providing over £1.5 million to fully fund the redesign.

Improved safety and access

The installation of three toucan crossings will allow both pedestrians and cyclists to cross the road at the same time to create additional opportunities to negotiate the arms of the roundabout.

Widened pavements and cycle paths will also allow people to walk, wheel and cycle safely around the road network.

The space for traffic will be narrowed while ensuring buses and large lorries can still navigate the interchange.

In the longer-term, the changes at Wallyford Toll would link in with a separate council scheme aimed at further boosting active travel opportunities which is proposed to connect into the roundabout. Under the Musselburgh Active Toun (MAT) project, a segregated cycleway on the A199 Haddington Road connecting Wallyford Toll to Musselburgh has been put forward.

Further information about this project.

New home for Olivebank Child and Family Centre

The services provided by the Olivebank Child and Family Centre have moved to a new home within the Wallyford Learning Campus.

The move has delivered a modern purpose-designed space for users of the service which will operate as the Acorn Infant Family Centre.

The Acorn Centre opened to families on 4 March.

The Olivebank Centre in Market Street, Musselburgh, closed on 26 February. The building was approaching the end of its functional lifespan and was no longer considered fully fit for purpose.

The free service works on a referral-only basis with families facing multiple adversities. It focuses on parents and infants from pregnancy until the child is two years old. Tailoring interventions to individual families, it offers home visits as well as group and one-to-one work both within the centre and in the community.

In 2023 the Olivebank Child and Family Centre underwent a strategic redesign to strengthen its support for families with young children. While the centre historically provided daycare and support services for vulnerable children and their families, it shifted its focus to early intervention - specifically perinatal and postnatal support for families from pregnancy through to the child’s second year.

Find out more

Plans submitted for Aberlady and Longniddry primaries

Planning applications have been submitted to create larger early years facilities at two of our primary schools.

If approved, the plans for Aberlady Primary and Longniddry Primary would see nursery capacity at least double in each school rising to 40 spaces and 64 spaces respectively. The projects reflect increased demand for early learning and childcare.

Aberlady 

Aberlady’s plans replace a previously-approved extension. A two-classroom extension to house the school’s P1 and P2 classes and larger nursery will create a nursery to P2 hub that supports connections and transitions. Two temporary units in the playground and storage sheds will be removed and a purpose-built nursery garden created. Subject to approval, work is scheduled to begin in summer 2026 for completion in mid-August 2027.

Longniddry 

Longniddry Primary School has been granted Listed Building Consent to remove partition walls between classrooms within the building and to refurbish existing toilet facilities. A further application will outline alterations within the nursery and to its external areas. Additional works to kitchen spaces, walls and flooring will also be carried out as part of the project. Subject to plans’ approval, work will be carried out in school holidays ready to open this Autumn.

Find out more 

You can view the planning applications on our planning portal using the following reference numbers.

Longniddry: 26/00053/LBC

Aberlady: 26/00160/LBC and 26/00161/P.

MSYP Summer visits Scottish Parliament

Ross High School pupil Summer Ramsay was elected as a Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament (MSYP) in October 2025 following a by-election. In February, Summer had the opportunity to visit Holyrood, touring the Parliament and sitting in on a session of First Minister’s Questions.

Summer (pictured right with First Minister John Swinney) reflects: “It was a really positive experience, I had the pleasure of meeting First Minister, John Swinney, who was very down to earth and was open to any questions.”

“I am extremely lucky to be able to represent Ross High School and the students through my key issues in my manifesto and I thank my teachers for how supportive they have been throughout my time in this role so far.”

MSYPs are elected to represent young people in every community in Scotland. The diversity of MSYPs reflects Scotland’s young people and ensures a broad range of views and experiences are included in their work.

“I am very grateful to be a member of the Scottish Youth Parliament and the opportunities that are given to me through this role,” as says Summer.

Website Replacement Project update

Migration complete and waste collection calendar now live

We’re pleased to share two important milestones in the Website Replacement Project - the migration is now complete, and the Waste Collection Calendar is now live on the LocalGov Drupal platform. This marks the first page of the new website to go live, bringing an improved user-experience and easy navigation. It’s a fantastic achievement for everyone involved.

“Our new waste and recycling calendar is now live - making it easier for residents to stay organised with simple print‑at‑home options and one‑click iCalendar reminders to help keep collections on track,” said Ross Largue, Team Manager Waste Services.

Check out the Waste Collection Calendar for a first look at our new website platform.

Thank you to our Web Editors

Thank you to all Web Editors who recently attended training on the new LocalGov Drupal Content Management System. Your time and support as we prepare the new site is greatly appreciated.

Web Editors play a key role in creating and structuring pages across all services. The work they are doing now - reviewing content, shaping service pages, and organising information - will ensure our services are clearly represented online and will deliver long‑term benefits for our citizens and teams.

While the Web Team and Web Editors are busy preparing the new site, please consider carefully any additional support or content changes you request from them during this period.

What our Web Editors say about the new website

Laura Hall our Web Manager said: “Using LocalGov Drupal means we get the advantage of continuous improvements from a whole community of councils. For our web editors, it makes updates faster, simpler, and more consistent. It’s exciting to see the new pages taking shape, and I can’t wait to see the full site come together.” 

Web editor Ashley McIntyre added: “I’m really impressed with the new website and love the fresh look and feel. It has a modern, softer, more welcoming appearance that creates a great first impression for visitors.

"The simplified structure has been developed to make it considerably easier for users to navigate the site and locate the information they need. It not only supports access to individual services but also strengthens the connections between related services, enabling customers to find broader support and advice. This enhanced usability is likely to encourage greater engagement and support and a more positive digital experience for visitors.

"The new website demonstrates our council’s ongoing commitment to delivering accessible, high‑quality digital services that meet the needs of our communities.”

Next steps

As we move towards user acceptance testing in May, we’ll continue working closely with our design partner, Big Blue Door, on the remaining elements needed ahead of launch. We’re also providing support via daily surgery hours for web editors, and will be tracking site creation and content reviews over the coming weeks to ensure we remain on schedule. Our first draft of the site is due by the end of March, ahead of the website go‑live in June 2026.

Find Out More

Our Website Replacement Intranet Site contains information on what’s happening, the benefits of the new website, and screenshots showcasing the new design of the website.

You can also check who your departmental web editors are on the intranet.

If you have any specific queries, please contact the Web Team directly: webteam@eastlothian.gov.uk.

Stoneyhill Community Centre proposals open for consultation

Residents are being asked for their views on the future of three Common Good assets in Musselburgh.

The former Stoneyhill Community Centre (pictured right), 118 and 118A New Street are all empty and in need of upgrade. A new consultation is asking people whether new life could be brought into them by selling or leasing them.

Stoneyhill Community Centre closed in 2019 and was used on a temporary basis as a Covid testing centre in 2021. It was built in 1924/25 following a philanthropic contribution to the community by Inveresk Paper Mills and was managed by Musselburgh RFC.

118 and 118A New Street are ground floor retail and office premises in a predominantly residential area. They have been home to various businesses over the years including a greengrocer and physiotherapy clinic. They have been empty since 2015. 

Consultation is required by law because all three properties are held in Common Good. The income from any sale or lease would be reinvested into the Musselburgh Common Good Fund which is the largest of the four funds we manage. The funds' main function is to allow for the maintenance and repair of Common Good Assets.

The consultations close on 8 April. Find out more from our council website. 

Essential guidance for pre-election period 16 March to 7 May

The Scottish Parliament election will be held on 7 May. From 16 March up to and including election day is the designated ‘pre-election’ period.

During this period all employees must ensure that our duties cannot be perceived as promoting or supporting an individual candidate or political party. Comprehensive guidance is available for all colleagues on our council’s approach to managing this period. Key points include:

• political neutrality: all colleagues must adhere to strict political neutrality, especially during the pre-election period
• council resources: usage of our council facilities and resources for political campaigning is strictly prohibited
• continuation of business: normal operations will continue unless otherwise stated, with the guidance serving as a constant reference

The document also addresses specific scenarios such as the use of our council's premises, handling publicity and staff participation in political activities. It emphasises the importance of maintaining working relationships between staff and elected members without political bias.

The pre-election guidance document is available to download from the intranet homepage.